Random Chance?
by Lord Raa
Summary: Another AU from your fiend, Lord Raa.
1. Chapter 1

Random Chance?

A Ranma ½ Alternate Universe.

By Lord Raa

* * *

Disclaim-me-do: Shall I baby-sit for your sister Gwen? I shall run round her house naked and try on her underwear. Oh, have I said something wrong again? Shall I baby-sit for your sister Gwen?

* * *

A soggy panda was shuffling down the rainy streets of Nerima, Tokyo. The ursine eating machine looked most upset at its travelling companion, a young man with black hair braided into a pigtail that finished mid way down his shoulder blades.

The two seemed to be heading in a specific direction, rather than wandering in a random fashion that some would expect for such dishevelled travellers.

"Pops, I sure hope that your friend will understand us barging in on them like this," the young man spoke casually to the panda.

The panda made a somewhat positive sounding grunt and gesture.

"I know that you're holding something back from me about the reason for seeing him, old man. If you've done something stupid like get me engaged, then you can expect a lot of pain."

It was a good thing that Ranma could not see the look on the panda's face.

"Well, I suppose that I should give the benefit of the doubt. It could prove to be an evening's fun."

The panda continued, ignoring the unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach. His son had been acting strangely ever since they visited Jusenkyo.

Though he had to admit that the boy had proven himself to be worth something after all by getting the funds to get a boat back to Japan.

'The odd thing was that he never told me how he got the money,' the panda thought.

"Well, here we are pops. It's time to see if your friend will freak out or not," said the young man as he turned to the waterlogged beast to his right.

Knocking on the door, the black haired boy cleared his throat in preparation of the introductions.

A tall brunette with long hair answered the door.

"Hello. Can I help you at all?"

"Hello, is this the Tendo residence?"

"Yes it is."

"My name is Ranma Saotome," the young man explained with a bow. "I'm sorry to bother you like this, but I was told that I was expected."

"Oh yes, our father was expecting you, please come in," the young woman gestured to the inside of the house. "Is that a panda?"

Ranma winced as before turning to his hostess. "Yes, it's a long story. I can explain with the aid of some hot water."

* * *

Later, after Ranma demonstrated his father's curse several times to a disbelieving Tendo family, the formal meeting for the arranged marriage took place.

"Here are my daughters: Kasumi, she's 19; Nabiki, she's 17 and Akane, she's 16. Pick one and she'll be your fiancée."

"I'm sorry, could you say that again?" Ranma asked Soun. "The part about me being engaged to someone. Pops, do you know anything about this?" Ranma faced his parent.

Splash

"I thought that you might do that. Mr Tendo, would be so kind as to pass me that kettle, please?"

Soun handed Ranma the kettle of boiling water.

"Thanks," Ranma bowed before pouring the scalding hot water on the beast.

"ARRGH!" Genma screamed. "It needn't be that hot, boy!"

"Says you. Now what's this about an engagement?"

"Weren't you paying attention earlier, cloth ears? This is the sacred pledge to unite the schools of Anything Goes," Genma patronised his son.

"And I told you on the way here that if you done something stupid I'd hurt you. Picking my fiancée without even telling me counts as something stupid," Ranma shouted in Genma's face.

"What, aren't we good enough for you or something?" the youngest girl demanded, her pride wounded.

"Oh, and you want to go along with this farce?"

"Well, no, but…" Akane trailed off.

"So then it's agreed, I'm not obligated to marry any of you. You can go about your lives, apologies for the intrusion. Pops, you're coming with me," Ranma dragged the balding man behind him.

"Wait, Ranma, I can explain," Genma tried to stall for time.

"Yes, Ranma, please allow your father to explain," Soun backed his old friend up.

"What's in it for me?" Ranma asked.

"You'll know the whole story behind the pledge," Soun answered

"What? That you two were absolutely hammered in a bar celebrating knocking your wives up, when you decided to get your kids hitched to run your dojo?" Ranma cynically suggested.

"Urk," Genma blanched as his son had hit the nail right on the head.

Soun was stunned into silence by Ranma's accuracy.

"I see. Well, I'm sorry for bothering you like this, but we must be going. That is unless there are some advanced combat techniques that I can learn?" Ranma asked. "That would prove that the schools are worth uniting."

'If there's something for me to learn, then I get to stay for a while. If not, then I get out of the idiots' reach,' the younger Saotome had figured out a "no lose" situation for himself.

"You make it sound like the Saotome branch has something of value to teach us," the short haired girl in the kimono spoke up, defending her family's school.

"I know a challenge when I hear one," Ranma smirked. "As the heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes, I challenge the heir to the Tendo Branch to a match. One bout, winner is decided by knock out or submission. If I win, I'm free to do as I please. If I lose, then I'll abide by the decision of the heads of the School. If anybody interferes, the match is declared null and void and I leave. Are my terms acceptable?"

"Yes," Soun jumped in.

"Alright then, I'll see your heir in the dojo in five minutes," Ranma bowed. "But first, I require the use of your facilities. Would one of you be so kind as to point me in the right direction?"

As Kasumi stood up and led Ranma to the toilet, Genma and Soun rushed to Akane's side and gave her advice on how to win the upcoming bout.

"Remember that this match is Anything Goes, so don't be afraid to kick him where it hurts," Soun pointed out.

"But don't do any lasting damage," Genma added quickly. "Nodoka will want grandchildren as soon as possible."

"Who is this Nodoka person, Pops?" Ranma asked, having finished quicker than anyone had expected. "If my wellbeing affects her grandchildren, am I correct in assuming that she's related to me in some way?"

Genma started to sweat in panic.

"Nodoka is YOUR mother, Ranma," Soun explained, not seeing what the problem was.

Ranma looked at his parent.

Genma sweated more.

Ranma smirked at the panicking man. "We have much to discuss, Old Man. I do hope that for your sake the heir to the Tendo School puts up a good fight. That way you won't get hurt so much."

Ranma turned to the girl in the gi. "I take it I'm fighting you?"

"Yes. I won't hold back, you know," Akane insisted.

Soun was nearly in tears. "That's good to hear, my dear Akane."

"Yeah, well I can get all the water works I want by going outside. I won't get my freedom by standing around here. Let's do this and get on with our lives," Ranma pretended to be bored with the situation to unbalance his opponent.

Akane growled before stalking off to the dojo. Ranma followed her with a small grin on his face, one that both Nabiki and Kasumi noticed.

* * *

Ranma made a few cursory stretches before showing off his flexibility to the witnesses with an advanced kata.

Nabiki considered the possibilities of a boyfriend with such a body. 'Hmm, he already knows how to push Akane's buttons. Perhaps he isn't just a mere bag of hormones, like the rest of the boys around here.'

Kasumi noticed the way Ranma's still damp shirt clung to his body as he warmed up. 'He really should get out of those wet clothes as soon as possible. It wouldn't do for him to catch a cold.'

Genma was torn. On the one hand, he had taught his son to win at all costs. But on the other, if he won here, then he'd run off and all his well laid out plans would be for nought.

That and the boy had promised him a beating when he was done.

"Right, I'm ready," Ranma announced, snapping everyone out of their trances. He took up a basic Jeet-kun-do stance to prove his point.

Akane took up her favoured kempo stance. "I'm ready."

The combatants turned to Kasumi, who was acting as judge.

"Fight!" she shouted dropping her hand.

Ranma and Akane slowly circled each other before Ranma struck.

The boy launched forward with a sweeping kick, which Akane jumped over. Ranma followed up with a connecting strike to the lower thigh with the heel of his hand.

As Akane fell backwards, Ranma jumped to his feet and backed off to give his opponent a chance to right herself.

Genma would normally have complained at this foolish behaviour, but every chance his son gave the girl meant that there was a greater chance of the schools being joined.

Akane charged in with her preferred attack, a haymaker, which Ranma promptly ducked under and counterattacked with an upward, open palmed strike to the solar plexus.

The gi clad girl was knocked back a good metre by Ranma's lightning quick strike.

Ranma returned to his ready stance, waiting for the girl to get back up.

The girl coughed before getting up, slightly winded. "I'm impressed."

"This is me going easy on you," Ranma pointed out. "It's perfectly acceptable for me to hit you when you're down."

Akane frowned that comment before Ranma closed the gap before she could blink. The pigtailed boy tossed the girl over his shoulder in a perfectly executed judo throw.

Nabiki winced at the force her sister hit the floor with. She didn't like the idea of her sister being manhandled like this, but could do nothing as per the rules of the contest. At least Ranma was allowing Akane to get up after each fall.

Ranma had backed off a bit to allow Akane a breather. "Now would be a good time to show me some advanced techniques from the Tendo School. Unless you want to continue inspecting the floor, of course," he taunted.

Akane growled as she charged in, again planning to connect with her famous haymaker.

Ranma opted to show off the aerial aspects of his School by leaping over the head of the girl and planting a foot in her back.

Akane stumbled forward, but managed to retain her balance. She was beginning to feel outclassed, but pride kept her going in this bout.

She circled the boy slowly, not sure what she should do next.

Ranma stepped closer in an attempt to force Akane into making a move. It didn't work.

Akane smirked, having seen through Ranma's ploy. Her confidence growing enough for her to make an offensive play.

She charged the boy, this time ready to strike with a flurry of jabs and other fast attacks.

Ranma's face remained neutral as he dodged or blocked the barrage of rapid strikes. He started twisting round and placed an axe kick on the girl's knee, the blow connecting with a loud crack.

Falling to the floor, Akane screamed in pain, clutching the injured leg.

Again, Ranma backed off to allow his opponent the chance to submit. "If you want to end this now, I'll understand. I know how much hits like that hurt. Especially to the knee."

Akane fumed before attempting to stand. The instant she put weight on her leg she crumpled in pain.

"I-I give up," she whimpered, tears streaking her face.

Ranma turned to the judge who nodded before rushing to her injured sister.

Soun ran up to the victorious Ranma. "Just what do you think you're doing, hurting my little girl?"

Ranma was actually shocked by this attitude. "Didn't you train her not to go into a fight unless you're willing to risk an injury?"

"That's no excuse," Soun replied, about to go into his demon head mode.

Ranma stood firm, ready for an attack. "If that's how you train your students, then I want nothing to do with your school. Pops, we are leaving," Ranma stated before walking over to where his pack was.

"Where do you think you're going, boy?" Genma demanded.

"Away from here. Besides, the sooner you tell me about the Nodoka, the sooner you'll be able to eat solid food again," Ranma replied grabbing the man by the collar of his dirty gi.

"But what about uniting the Schools?" Genma whined.

"Your friend agreed to the terms of the match," Ranma shrugged. "Here's another deal for you – you take me to see this Nodoka woman now, and I won't beat the shit out of you. How's that for fairness?" he asked, his hand now closing his father's windpipe.

"O-ok. I'll take you to your mother…" Genma gasped when the hand dropped from his throat.

"See how much easier this is when we're all behaving like reasonable people? I'm sorry for hurting your daughter, Mr. Tendo, but that's the risk she took. It's nothing personal, just my future. And I'd like to think that I get some say in that," Ranma said with a smile.

Genma whispered that he'd contact him about the boy when he had a chance to get Nodoka to sort him out.

Soun nodded before the tears started to flow.

* * *

As the Saotome travellers left the Tendo property, Ranma turned to his father.

"I gave you fair warning about what you had planned. Now where does this Nodoka woman live?"

"She's your mother, boy, show her some respect!" Genma ordered.

"Respect has to be earned. You taught me that," Ranma shot back.

"Family is different," Genma blustered.

"If you say so, Old Man," Ranma snorted. "Now which way do we head?"

"This way," Genma gestured to his left.

* * *

Later that evening, Ranma and his grumbling panda companion finally arrived at their destination.

"I bet you regret training in China now, Pops," Ranma said in his best "I told you so" voice. "I can't believe that you slipped and fell in the gutter."

Genma indignantly grumbled as best he could without a voice box.

"Yeah, yeah, I know what a disrespectful child you have. Now which house is it?"

The disgruntled panda pointed to the old Saotome house.

"Thanks. I'll do the talking, at least until we get you some hot water."

Ranma rang the doorbell and straightened his shirt in an attempt to make himself look more presentable.

A woman wearing a blue floral patterned kimono answered the door.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm sorry to bother you when it's this late, but I'm looking for a Nodoka Saotome. I was told that she lives here," Ranma replied with a bow.

"And you are?" the woman asked, still not having taken the door of the security chain.

"I'm Ranma Saotome…"

Before Ranma could add anything else the door was quickly opened and he found himself being ushered inside.

"Ranma, my son! How I've missed you!" Nodoka gushed as she appraised Ranma.

'Oh, he seems to have turned out manly enough,' she thought happily.

"So you are my mother," Ranma commented.

"What do you mean by that?" Nodoka asked worriedly.

"Well, you see that panda there," Ranma gestured to the hairy beast in the doorway.

"Yes?"

"Well, it's a long story, but that's Pops," Ranma "explained".

"That's Genma Saotome?" Nodoka asked sceptically.

"Get me some hot water," Ranma smiled, "and I'll explain what I can."

* * *

Ten minutes later…

"So let me get this straight, Genma dearest: you are cursed to turn into a panda when splashed with cold water, but turn back when doused in hot water?"

"Yes, Nodoka," Genma looked at his feet. 'Don't ask how it happened.'

"How did this happen?" Nodoka asked her family.

Genma gulped.

Nodoka heard this and smiled. "I see, so it was your idea then Genma. Right, now since you both visited this cursed training ground, did Ranma pick up a curse?"

* * *

To be continued…

Yeah, I'm evil.

But what are YOU going to do about it?

This was pre-read by Chi Vayne, who has suffered a lot because of my delusions of talent.

You should know how to contact me by now.


	2. Chapter 2

Random Chance?

By Lord Raa

Part two

* * *

Disclaim-me-do: "Inflammatory theatricals consecrate ushers", as the old saying goes.

* * *

Previously on "Random Chance?"… 

"Since you both visited this cursed training ground, did Ranma pick up a curse?"

And now the evil author teases you more.

* * *

Ranma cleared his throat before answering his mother. "I did fall into a spring at Jusenkyo, although I don't think that I was cursed like pops." 

"Did anything happen while you were at this accursed place?" Nodoka was enthralled by the tales of her family's travels.

"I did meet a girl while pops was out looking for food," Ranma answered, scratching his head in memory of the strange Chinese girl.

'Oh, an exotic foreign girl, my son is so manly,' Nodoka thought happily. "Did you go out together?"

"No," Ranma admitted, "she didn't seem to like me all that much. I don't think that she was in a good mood when I found her."

"Oh, what happened?" Nodoka wanted to find out where in the chatting up of this girl her son had failed.

"I went up to her because I heard someone sobbing, when I arrived at the riverbank, she seemed a bit depressed. I asked if there was anything I could do, but she just splashed me with her ladle." Ranma paused to take a sip of tea. "I took the hint and left her alone."

Seeing Nodoka looked disappointed at that news, Ranma decided to on a risky ploy when he saw the part time panda sweating.

"There was this other girl in China, she seemed to like me."

"Oh, that's good to hear," Nodoka had cheered up immensely. "What was she like?"

"She was a warrior in training, heir of one of the village elders. She was cute, too," Ranma fondly recalled his time in the Amazon village.

Nodoka liked the sound of this encounter. "So what was this girl's name? What was she like?"

"She was called Shampoo. She had this lovely purple hair. Though I think she had a boyfriend, judging by the way the looks that she was getting from the other village girls," Ranma shrugged. "Perhaps she was one of those girls that had a lot of boyfriends?"

"Perhaps," Nodoka said sceptically. "But perhaps the other girls were jealous of her?"

"I never thought of that. But anyway, before I could get to know her better, Pops told me that we needed to get back to Japan."

As Ranma considered whether or not to tell his mother about the visit to the Tendos, he found himself unable to stop yawning and apologised, blaming his recent travelling.

"Yes, I know how exhausting travel can be," Nodoka nodded in understanding. "How about you two have a bath, while I prepare your beds and get you something to eat?"

"That sounds great, dear," Genma answered. "Come on Ranma, let's get cleaned up."

* * *

In the Saotome bathroom, Genma quickly explained why Ranma needed to keep his mouth shut. 

"Your mother has some strange notions of manliness."

"And what does this have to with me?" Ranma asked, his tired brain not putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

"We promised that I'd raise you to be 'a man among men'. If I failed, we pledged to commit seppuku," Genma explained as he started to scrub down.

"And just what characteristics does she consider manly?" Ranma asked, ready to punish his father for yet another act of stupidity.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not entirely sure," Genma shrugged. "She never elaborated on what she thought would make the ideal man."

Ranma felt like tearing his father's head off, but a few deep breaths calmed him down enough to suggest a plan.

"Look Pops, I'm not happy about this. But I'm also too tired to deal with any of your bullshit tonight. So how about this: if you leave my food alone and let me get a good night's sleep, I won't mention the Tendos and your mistake from earlier. That way there are no bodies to clean up."

Genma, also feeling the length of the day, nodded. "Ok, son. But you really should consider marrying one of those girls."

Ranma started to lather up. "I guarantee nothing."

* * *

As the reunited Saotome family ate a calm meal at a dignified pace (for the men at least), Nodoka asked a few more questions about her son's travels. The enquiries seemed to subtly head in the direction of "do you have a girlfriend?" much to Genma's concern. 

'Damn, this is going to get awkward. I didn't want Ranma getting too close to any girls because of the Tendo engagement,' the part-time panda worried.

"You really want me to have a girlfriend, don't you Mom?" Ranma asked, pausing in his relaxed dining. "Why?"

"Well, I missed out on your childhood, son, and I'd like to make up for it by looking after your children," Nodoka confessed. "Siring lots of children would be manly," she added in a quiet, hinting voice.

"I'm only sixteen, Mom!" Ranma protested. "I'm too young to be thinking about that sort of thing!"

"I was only a little bit older when I married your father," Nodoka replied. Then a thought occurred to her. "I'm sorry, son. I see that you don't want to be tied down to one woman at your age."

Ranma shot a look at his father who merely shrugged.

Placing his now empty bowl on the table, Ranma yawned. "I'm really tired; can we continue this in the morning?"

"Oh course, Ranma," Genma replied. "I'll see you bright and early for your training."

* * *

The next morning, Ranma was woken by the banging on the door to his room. 

"I'm up. I'll be out in a minute, Pops."

Something that sounded like a slur on Ranma's devotion to the Art could be heard through the door.

"Pops, I think you should reconsider that attitude. I might just let something out over breakfast," Ranma replied as he dressed.

He opened the door and smiled at his father. "Ready when you are."

After an enthusiastic sparring session, Ranma, Nodoka and Genma sat down for their morning meal. The older man most grateful that they didn't have a pond like the Tendos, having gotten a feeling that he'd have been turned into a panda during their exercise.

As they say, "old habits die hard" and Genma was unable to resist his son's unguarded bowl of food.

"Pops, I warned you," Ranma said in an angry tone. "Mom, did you know that you weren't our first stop in Tokyo?"

"Really? Where did you go to?" Nodoka asked, she didn't like secrets being kept from her.

"The Tendo dojo. Pops wanted me to marry some girl I never met before. Can you believe that?" Ranma asked, ignoring the shushing motions from his father.

"You're engaged? Nodoka asked with a hopeful look on her face.

"No," Ranma answered.

"Oh." Nodoka seemed most disappointed at that. "You do like girls, don't you?"

"Yes!" Ranma insisted. "I have no objection to getting married, but I want some say in the matter." He took a deep breath. "Besides, you can't expect me to marry someone after knowing them for TEN minutes."

"You're right, Ranma. I'm sorry," Nodoka bowed to her child. "Though, if you're still single, perhaps I should fix you up with one of my friend's daughters."

All Ranma could do was sit there stunned. 'Just what kind of weirdoes do I have in my family?'

Genma, while glad that his wife hadn't flown off the handle at Ranma's mention of the Tendo engagement, panicked a little at this. 'Wait, there's still a chance to get the boy hitched to a Tendo.'

"Perhaps it would be better to let Ranma get back into the swing of things by sending him to school? That way he could meet up with a number of nice girls," the balding man suggested.

"Yes, a nice co-ed school would do perfectly. Do you have any suggestion, Genma?"

"I'll do some research, dear."

* * *

At the Tendo home, Kasumi was thinking about the nice young man that had paid her family a visit the previous day. 

'It did seem a bit much to expect us to get engaged at such short notice,' the eldest daughter of the Tendo family mused. 'Though I wouldn't have minded getting to know him a little better.'

"Perhaps I can see if Father has Ranma's address," she pondered as she prepared some tea. "Or perhaps Nabiki would be able to find it out; she always was good at that sort of thing."

As she prepared to bringer her father mid morning tea, the phone rang.

"Tendo residence, Kasumi speaking. How may I help you?"

Hello. It's Genma Saotome here, is your father available?

"Yes he is. Please wait a moment, I'll go get him."

Soun rushed to the phone, hoping that his old training partner had good news.

"Saotome-kun, how are you?"

I'm doing fine, Tendo-kun, but I have good news and bad. Good news is that Nodoka doesn't object to the engagement. The bad news is that if we're not quick, she may try to fix Ranma up with one of her friend's daughters.

"You're right, we need to move fast. Is there anything I can do?"

Yes. I need to know what school Akane and Nabiki go to. If we send Ranma there, then we can keep Nodoka from her matchmaking attempts while we get our children together.

"An excellent idea, Saotome-kun. Akane and Nabiki go to Furinkan High School," Soun replied.

Kasumi overheard some of this, and asked her father what was going on when he hung up the phone.

"Ranma will be attending Furinkan with your sisters, Kasumi."

"Why is that Father?" the girl asked, her hopes of seeing the handsome young man rising.

"There is still the pledge to unite the schools of Anything Goes, Kasumi. If you, Akane or Nabiki were to marry Ranma, then the school's future would be assured," Soun explained in his best wise and sagely tone.

"But I don't think that Ranma holds our school in high regard, Father. Akane didn't last very long in that bout yesterday," Kasumi countered.

Soun winced at that reminder. "Yes, I think that we had better try to get Ranma and either you or Nabiki together instead."

Kasumi smiled internally at that decision. It was one of her father's better ones. "How about some tea, Father?"

"Yes, thank you Kasumi."

* * *

At the same time in the Saotome house, Ranma confronted his father about the same phone conversation. 

"What was that about, Pops?"

"It was about which school you'll be going to. Furinkan High School, in case you're wondering," Genma informed his son.

"Furry In a Can? I don't think I like the sound of that. What are you up to know, Old Man?"

"You need to go to school and Furinkan High School is where you'll be attending," Genma replied patronisingly.

"Do I have to?" Ranma asked in an attempt to wind up his dad.

Genma looked his son in the eye. "If you've finished complaining like a girly-man, I'll tell you why."

Ranma's body language became serious, but remained silent as he stared at his father.

"I don't want her to fix you up with a fiancée out of the blue," Genma started.

"You just want me to marry a Tendo, so I can look after a dojo," Ranma interrupted. "I can see your plan, I'm not stupid, you know."

Genma decided enough was enough. "I can that you need another lesson in respect, boy. Outside, now!"

"Bring it on, Old Man!"

* * *

In the Saotome back yard, the two combatants faced off. This bout was going to be a true demonstration of the Saotome School of Anything Goes, with the winner decided by knock out only. 

Genma knew that this would be his last chance to assert himself over his son, just as Ranma knew that he'd have to curb his new found urge to adventure in the wider world should defeat occur.

Failure here would mean either a loss of face or a loss of freedom, something that each thought that the other could do without.

The pair stared each other down, hoping to force the other into making a mistake. Next came the most familiar tool to the Anything Goes style, the taunts.

"What's up boy? Afraid I'm going to put you in your place once and for all?" Genma smirked at his rebellious son.

"I see you haven't moved yet. Afraid I'm going to outlast you?" Ranma grinned back.

"We'll see who has the last laugh, boy."

With that, Genma exploded into action. A flurry of punches and kicks kept Ranma from striking back.

Ranma managed to get out a lightning jab to his sensei's Adam's apple. The respite gave him a needed chance to turn the tide in this battle. The pigtailed boy leapt at the choking man, hoping to drive a knee into his target: Genma's face.

Genma rolled to his left, quickly avoiding the strike. He retaliated by grabbing Ranma and throwing him against the cherry tree that was twelve feet away.

Ranma twisted in the air and launched himself off the trunk. He was ready to give his father his all, only the stocky man shimmered and faded from view.

Ranma landed in a three point crouch, his eyes scanning for his sneaky old man. He was about to turn around, but found himself face first on the grass before he could blink.

Genma shimmered as he fell into view and grabbed his son in a painful joint lock. "Give in yet, boy?"

"Never!"

Genma felt a slight surge of pride with his son's "never say die" attitude, but shook his head. The bespectacled man reached over and dislocated his son's left ankle before Ranma could kick him in the face.

As the sickening crack echoed throughout the yard, Genma's feeling of pride was sustained when he realised he couldn't hear his son scream in pain. His face being pressed into the ground not withstanding.

As the younger Saotome continued to struggle to shift his father off his back, Genma decided to end it with a series of blows to the back of the head.

* * *

Several hours later Ranma woke up in his room, feeling the worst he had for a while. The last thing he remembered was fighting with his father, so he slowly tried to lift his head and took a deep breath. 

Opening his eyes fully, Ranma now saw his bandaged foot. "Ow. What the Hell did Oyaji hit me with?" he asked rhetorically, having moved the extremity.

"Ah, you're awake at last. Ranma, you lost and now you're going to Furinkan," Genma called out from his right.

"Only because you cheated," Ranma shot back as he turned to face the voice.

"And just how did I cheat?"

"You disappeared!" Ranma insisted. "How is that not cheating?"

"Boy, we practice Anything Goes. Think about what the means for moment," Genma sagely advised. "It means that we use any advantage we can to win. It's inherent to our school."

Ranma conceded the point after a few minutes contemplation. "So what was that disappearing trick of yours?"

"Umi-sen-ken. It's one of my own creations. It has a partner, but I sealed them up."

"Why?" Ranma asked, not knowing much of his father's life outside of his training him.

"They're exceptionally dangerous. How does it feel knowing that I had to use a sealed technique to defeat you?" Genma asked, slightly troubled at the development.

"Proud," Ranma answered immediately. After a moment though, the significance of the fight sank in. "But I also feel kind of bad about forcing you to break an oath, Pops. I mean, you sealed them because they're dangerous."

"Yes," Genma confirmed as he sat beside his son. "We're nearing the end of your basic training, son. You know why you don't teach beginners the deadly moves, which is why you need more training before I could even consider teaching you the Yama-sen-ken."

Ranma turned to see the most serious look on his father's face he'd ever seen. "I take it that this one is lethal."

"Correct." Genma sighed. "Ranma, you're highly skilled and I've trained you to be the best, but there's always someone more experienced than you. That's why I've beaten you more than you've beaten me."

"What about the fact that you've been cheating in our sparring matches since we went to Jusenkyo?" Ranma asked suspiciously.

"Anything Goes, son, Anything Goes," Genma replied with a grin. "Besides, you need to know how to beat those that don't believe in fair play. It's all good practice for you."

Ranma looked at his father dubiously. "Right."

Genma shrugged. "Believe what you want, I still beat you and you're still going to Furinkan."

"I'm not going to marry before I'm twenty, Pops," Ranma warned.

"Then you are going to marry a Tendo? Oh happy day!" Genma jumped up with joy.

"I didn't say that. I said I'm not marrying before I'm twenty. Even when I turn twenty, it doesn't mean I'm marrying a Tendo," Ranma explained for his father.

"But that doesn't mean that you won't," Genma happily shot back. This was going to take a while, but there was a good chance of joining the schools.

Ranma groaned in frustration, he knew he was in no shape to convince his parents to leave him alone.

"I'll leave you to get some rest, son. We'll be taking it easy with your training for the next few days while your ankle heals."

* * *

At the Tendo home, Kasumi mentioned that Ranma would be attending Furinkan to her sisters. 

Akane grumbled something about a rematch when her knee was healed, while Nabiki considered just how best to break the news that Akane had been defeated to Kuno.

"Well, it looks like school life will become interesting for you two," Kasumi said cheerily. Her smile became a little bit brighter when she noted that the others weren't interested in Genma Saotome's son.

"That's true, sis," Nabiki nodded as she snacked. "Crap."

"What?" Akane asked, worried that this Ranma person hurt her sisters as well.

"School. Kuno. His idiotic challenge," Nabiki replied, rubbing her forehead in a vain attempt to fend off a headache.

"I'm not going out with him!" Akane insisted.

"Ranma or Kuno?" Kasumi asked.

"Neither!" came the shouted answer.

Nabiki sank in her seat. "I can just see that blowhard protesting that Ranma is some kind of demon, as it is quite clearly the only way he could have harmed his fierce tigress."

Akane sighed, it looked bad.

"Hey, look on the bright side, sis: at least it wasn't Kuno that beat you," Nabiki tried to cheer her baby sister up.

Akane started to sob as the reality of her situation sank in.

"I don't think that it's all that bad, Akane-chan. You were defeated in combat for the honour of your school," Kasumi tried to reassure the injured girl. "Ranma doesn't know about Kuno's challenge, and he doesn't want to date you, so he'll leave you alone."

Nabiki thought she saw the ghost of a naughty grin on Kasumi's lips for the briefest of moments, but dismissed it as a trick of the light.

"Akane, I think I'm going to tell everyone at school the truth: that you were injured in a dojo challenge, not for your hand in marriage. That should help calm things down at school and with Kuno."

* * *

When Monday rolled around, Ranma was in a fit state to walk to school unaided. Of course, Genma had insisted that Ranma walk on his hands as part of his training. The effective, if amoral, sensei didn't want his son and heir to become weak during his recuperative period. 

After breakfast, Ranma made his way out to overcome the "next challenge in his life", as his mother put it. He remembered his mother's "suggestion" that he meet some nice girls.

The woman was quite clearly a few moves short of a kata, but she was family, and he felt some obligation to humour her.

As Ranma approached the gates, he noticed one of the students was blocking the entrance.

"Halt!" the boy wearing part of the kendo team's uniform called out.

"What?"

"I hear that you are the one that injured the fair Akane Tendo."

"Yeah, what of it?" Ranma asked puzzled.

"I am here to avenge my fierce tigress! Have at you!"

* * *

To be continued… 

This was pre-read by Chi Vayne, someone who… Actually, I don't know what he does. I think send him bits of chapters and he tells me where I made a mistake. I'm not terribly sure these days.

Anyway, I think that some notes are in order.

1) Genma has had a few weeks to get used to this Ranma, so he would know that given the chance, Ranma would leave. That is why one of the forbidden techniques came out to play.

2) Ranma is cursed, the exact nature of the curse will become evident in later chapters.

3) There are no prizes for guessing the identity of the "girl" that splashed Ranma.

4) What would you like to see happened with Ryoga?

5) There was no need for Ranma to humiliate Akane any more than he did when he fought her: she hadn't called him a pervert and he hadn't called her an uncute tomboy.

6) I'll be at Kawaii Kon (April 22-24), if you want to hurl abuse at me in person (or chat me up if you're a single lady – no jailbait, please).

7) The disclaimer is not in reference to the Jerry Springer opera, though that is something that is very funny.

8) In case you're wondering about the dislocated ankle, I saw a documentary on the Ancient Olympics during the summer last year. In that, they had the story of a bout in the unrestricted fighting contest.

This contest was often fought to the death with the rules of "no biting and no eye gouging", only there was evidence that this occurred. There were also reports of people being disembowelled and fighters swallowing their broken teeth in order not to show weakness to their foes.

Anyway, one bloke won his third title posthumously. His opponent had him a choke hold and actually killed him, but with his dying breath, this man dislocated his opponent's ankle, rolled over dead and was crowned champion because the other guy gave up.

9) There may be Love Hina elements added in later chapters, but ony if I can make it funny and can be bothered.

10) is you have any questions, suggestions, criticisms or commentsm then feel free to leave a review or drop me a line via email. See if you can decipher the code : lordraaATdigitalpimpDOTcoDOTuk.

Laterer folks


	3. Chapter 3

Random Chance?

By Lord Raa

Part Three

* * *

Disclaim-me-do: Glaucus! Remember the ploughshare!

* * *

Previously on "Random Chance?"... 

"I hear that you are the one that injured the fair Akane Tendo."

"Yeah, what of it?" Ranma asked puzzled.

"I am here to avenge my fierce tigress! Have at you!"

* * *

Ranma watched as the bokken wielding boy came charging at him. 

"What are you gibbering about?"

Kuno stopped, slightly stunned at the attitude of the cur that thought he could get away with injuring the delicate and pure Akane Tendo.

"I heard that you managed to defeat Akane Tendo, what is your name?"

"I'm…"

"Is it not proper tradition for one to give his name? I am Tatewaki Kuno, rising star of the Kendo world, also known as the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High!"

Ranma frowned as he was cut off by Kuno. 'That seems a bit too familiar.'

"I'm Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome school of Anything Goes. What's it to you who I beat in a dojo challenge?" Ranma asked, shifting the pack on his back in preparation for a fight.

"Just because you defeated Akane Tendo, no doubt using some nefarious tactic, it does not give you the right to date her," Kuno said as he pointed the bokken at Ranma.

The students that looked at the scene unfolding before them, it seemed that they would have to talk to Nabiki about this new boy.

"Beat her to date her? What're you on? I defeated her so I wouldn't have to date her," Ranma explained.

"So you have no intentions to court the fair Akane?" Kuno asked suspiciously.

"No," Ranma answered tiredly. "Can this wait? I have classes to go to, you know."

Ranma walked past Kuno, intent on getting through the day without fighting. He got halfway to the door when something twigged in Kuno's brain.

"You must suffer the wrath of the Heavens for you mistreatment of Akane Tendo!"

Kuno charged Ranma again, intent on striking the insolent cur down for his crimes against his beloved.

Ranma spun round has he leapt to the right. He landed awkwardly on his previously injured ankle.

Gritting his teeth, the pigtailed martial artist took up a ready stance. "You accuse me of cheating when you attack from behind? You have some nerve, Kanto."

"The name is Kuno, fool. And you shall pay for you slurs! Strike-strike-strike-strike-strike-strike-strike-strike-strike-strike-strike-strike-strike-strike!" Kuno shouted as he rapidly stabbed the wooden sword at Ranma.

Ranma easily managed to keep the thrusts from touching his chest. He waited for the bumbling samurai wannabe to leave an opening, when he saw one he stuck out with a lightning punch to the solar plexus.

As Tatewaki staggered back, Ranma decided enough was enough and finished his opponent with a roundhouse kick to the jaw, the blow flooring the reality avoiding fool.

Dusting his hands off, Ranma turned to the main entrance and headed for the office to complete his enrollment. He was surprised by the cheers he got from the crowd of girls, but waved nonetheless.

"Can you believe he took Kuno out like that?"

"Well he did beat Akane."

"He's not bad looking, either."

"He's so cool!"

Nabiki heard the comments from the crowd of neglected girls and smiled when one of them asked if she knew anything about Ranma.

"I know one or two things about him. I think you know my rates," the middle Tendo girl replied with a toothy grin.

* * *

"Class, we have a new stud, er student joining us today," the attractive, blonde female teacher in her mid-twenties corrected herself without blushing too heavily. "Please introduce yourself." 

"Hi, I'm Ranma Saotome and I'm pleased to make your acquaintance ," Ranma introduced himself with a bow. "I'm heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts."

The others in the class made the connection between what Ranma said and what style Akane practiced.

"Anything Goes? Does that mean you and Akane are related in some way?" one of the girls in the front row asked.

"Sort of, but not really. It's a bit complicated. I can explain it, but it might take up a bit of the lesson time." Ranma turned to his teacher. "Is that ok, sensei?"

"I'll make an exception for today, Mr. Saotome."

"Ok. Well, I've been training in martial arts since I was six. I've been all over the country and abroad to Thailand, Korea, and most recently China."

"Yes, I saw you in action this morning," the teacher, Miss Emi Fujishima, interrupted. "You were very good."

"Well, the plan was for me to unite the schools of Anything Goes by marrying the heir of the Tendo Branch when we were old enough."

Akane received a few envious glares from the single females in the class, the teacher included.

"However, as I don't want my life to be decided by anyone but me, I took exception to my father's plan. We reached an agreement where I challenged Miss Tendo to a duel of Anything Goes."

"Was this how Akane got hurt?" Sayuri asked. Akane wouldn't tell her the details over the phone and she had not yet had a chance to talk to her about her injured leg.

"Yes. Though despite what Cujo said out in the yard, I beat her using basic moves," Ranma said with a sad shrug.

"Cujo?" the teacher asked.

"You know, the idiot with the bokken."

"Ah, you mean, Kuno. You beat him easily enough. What was it, five moves?"

"Two. But that's not important right now," Ranma replied with a smile. "When I won that bout, I managed to convince my father to take me home to see my mother for the first time in ten years."

"And why did you pick this school?" Yuka asked. She knew that Akane wasn't happy about Ranma being in her class, especially since he beat her so easily.

"I didn't, you can thank my father for that."

Many of the ladies present were indeed thankful for Genma's quick thinking. Though if they knew that the plan was to get Ranma closer to a Tendo, they'd be a little less thankful.

* * *

Elsewhere in Furinkan High, Nabiki Tendo's class was being disrupted by an incensed Tatewaki Kuno. 

"That foul cur," the bokken wielding fool raged. "I cannot believe that he is allowed to attend these hallowed halls with his tainted presence. To think that he injured your fair sister and escaped before you could seek police assistance, astounds even me."

The teacher looked up and noted that Kuno was talking AT Nabiki Tendo, rather than TO her.

"Kuno, will you stop causing a ruckus in my lesson?"

"How can I sit still in the knowledge that the one who assaulted Akane Tendo walks free? Even the mercenary Nabiki Tendo agrees with me."

"I see. In that case you can both continue your plot for revenge at lunchtime. You know where the buckets are, Kuno."

Nabiki smirked at the idiot kendoist.

"The Heavens weep at such injustice!" Kuno screamed at the teacher. "You must allow me to avenge the humiliated Akane Tendo."

"I've had enough trouble from you today Kuno, please do not make it worse for all involved," the middle aged man added without looking up from his book. "Get out in the hallway with the buckets."

"But I need the assistance of Nabiki Tendo," Kuno whined.

"Fine, take your partner in crime with you."

Nabiki growled at Kuno before getting up from her seat. 'This is going to cost you a lot of money, Kuno.'

* * *

Outside the classroom, Kuno demanded more answers from Nabiki. 

She ignored him until she heard a wallet being pulled out and a male voice counting out a sum of money.

"I require the facts about this Saotome wretch, Nabiki, 10,000 yen," was the first thing that Kuno that Nabiki actually paid attention to.

After placing her buckets on the ground, Nabiki pocketed the offered cash.

"Right, first things first, Kuno-chan: he's Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything Goes. You know how good he is, he whipped your ass in the blink of an eye. Our fathers wanted him to get engaged to one of us to unite the schools and take over the dojo and guess what? He didn't want to."

"So he wasn't lying when he said he had no designs on your fair sister?" Kuno asked.

"Correct, Kuno-chan."

"The fool has no taste in women," Kuno foolishly commented.

"And that is all you're getting for your money, Kuno," Nabiki snidely finished her presentation on Ranma.

"But I need more," Kuno protested.

"Nope, not going to happen today."

"Nabiki," the teacher called out.

"Yes, Sensei?"

"You may come back in. Kuno you stay out there until I call you back in."

Kuno remained silent until the teacher stepped away from the door.

"I must avenge the ill-treated Akane Tendo," Kuno vowed. "Akane Tendo, I shall rescue you from harm at the hands of that low-born cretin!"

With that, Kuno rushed off to hunt down the bane of his love's life.

* * *

Ranma Saotome was answering the questions thrown his way as best he could when the classroom door was slammed open. 

"There you are, you villainous fiend!" Kuno shrieked at the pigtailed youth.

"Pardon?" Miss Fujishima asked incredulously.

"The despicable Ranma Saotome has evil plans for the virtuous Akane Tendo!"

"No I don't," Ranma quickly replied.

"Well, since that's settled, Mr. Kuno, you may now go back to your own class," said the teacher, trying to resolve the matter quickly.

Kuno, though, was having none of it. "But can you not see that he has unholy desires for the fairest maiden in Nerima?"

"I've been here for a weekend, how am I supposed to know who the 'fairest maiden' in Nerima is?" Ranma shot back. "Besides, what makes you think you know my taste in women? Hell, I don't even know what my taste in women is!"

Unsurprisingly, this would go on to make Ranma a seriously hot topic when it came to the gossip at lunchtime.

"Don't you try to make the Waters of Truth murky with your Mud of Lies!" Kuno, still livid, pointed a bokken at Ranma.

Ranma just looked at the older student in disbelief.

"For the last time, Mr. Kuno, I'm asking you to return to your own classroom," Miss Fujishima said firmly.

Kuno looked at the faces of all the women present, added two and two together and got pi as the result.

"I see that he has ensorcelled all of the females present with his vile magics. This leaves me no option but to defeat him to break his spell."

Ranma blinked. "That sounds an awfully lot like a challenge."

"Have at you, demon!" Kuno shouted as he leapt towards Ranma.

"Here is no place to fight, follow me!" Ranma opened a window and jumped out.

Kuno followed out, not realising what floor of the building they were on. The rest of the class rushed to see Ranma crouching after a three point landing.

As the pigtailed martial artist turned as he stood up, he saw Kuno plummet like a stone. It was now that Ranma realised the blowhard was possibly the biggest idiot he'd ever seen.

At least his father realised that he had created techniques that were too effective and that they needed to be sealed away.

Rushing in, Ranma caught Kuno and dumped him unceremoniously on the grass.

"Come on, Keno, that was only a three storey drop. I thought you were a martial artist, but it looks like you're just a stick waving idiot with a big mouth," Ranma taunted the slightly dazed boy.

"The name is Kuno!" the bokken wielding boy shouted. "Since you seem unable to grasp that fact, I shall beat it into you!"

"In your own time, you big girl's blouse!" Ranma continued his taunts.

"Have at you, demon!" Kuno yelled before charging in, swinging his practice sword wildly.

"If you're a 'rising star' of the kendo world, Kojak, then I'd say that kendo has a future as bright as dinosaur taming," Ranma mocked as he dodged the sloppy strikes while yawning in an exaggerated fashion.

Kuno, unable to contain his rage any more, started his ultimate attack: a series of rapid thrusts that won him many tournaments.

Unfortunately, this was the same manoeuvre that he showed Ranma this morning, so Ranma stopped the wooden blade on the third thrust and stared Kuno down.

"Now listen up, Dodo," he growled, "I don't really want to be here."

"Then why are you here, you fiend?" Kuno demanded. "Do you not understand the shame she must feel at being dishonoured and disgraced after her embarrassing defeat by such wretched wrongdoer as yourself"

Ranma rolled his eyes at Kuno's words.

"And my name is KUNO!" was yelled at, and properly ignored by, the pigtailed martial artist.

"If it makes you feel any better, I spent more time taking her down then I did you. And I dislocated my ankle in between fights," Ranma smirked.

Deciding that now was the time to end this, Ranma chinned Kuno with a left jab.

He turned to the main entrance and took his class's applause in his stride, as his bow showed. Though to be fair, the teacher's wolf whistle did surprise him.

'Should she even be doing things like that?' Ranma asked himself.

* * *

Elsewhere in Nerima, the eldest Tendo daughter was making her way to the Saotome home. She needed to talk to Nodoka about Ranma, specifically when during their courtship it would be reasonable to expect him to put out. 

Kasumi arrived at the house and straightened her kimono before knocking on the door.

Nodoka answered the door. "Yes, can I help you?"

"Good morning, my name is Kasumi Tendo. I'm looking for Nodoka Saotome."

"I'm Nodoka Saotome. Did you say Tendo, as in the Tendo Dojo?" Nodoka asked.

"Yes, may I come in? I'm here to talk to you about Ranma," Kasumi explained with a blush.

"What about my son?"

"Well, he was supposed to marry a Tendo daughter, but he left before we could make it official."

"Please, make yourself at home," Nodoka ushered the girl inside. 'This is a good sign.'

Kasumi gave a small smile, thankful that she'd had the nerve to take the initiative on this matter.

As the two women sat down for some tea, Nodoka asked about the arrangement between the families.

"Well, Father said that he wanted one of us to unite the schools of Anything Goes with the Saotome branch to ensure the continuation of the dojo. It was a bit sudden," Kasumi paused to take a sip of her tea, "because soon after Father told us, Ranma and your husband arrived."

"How did Ranma take to the news?"

"It looked like it was the first that he'd heard of it."

"How did he react when you told him that you were interested in him?" Nodoka asked, intrigued as to why Ranma wouldn't want such a nice girl as the one in front of her.

"I didn't get a chance to tell him, Mrs. Saotome," Kasumi confessed. "He said that he didn't want to have his life decided for him and made a deal that gave him a bit of space."

"Oh, so he doesn't know how you feel?"

"No, not yet," Kasumi looked sad. Then she had a determined look in her eye "I plan to tell him as soon as I can."

Nodoka smiled broadly at this. "Kasumi, please tell me about your family."

"My father's name is Soun and my mother's was Reiko. I have two younger sisters, Nabiki who's 17 and Akane who's 16," Kasumi started.

"I knew a Reiko Tendo. Unfortunately, she passed on about seven years ago," Nodoka recalled.

"That's when Mother died," Kasumi added. 'This is getting spooky.'

"I think I have a picture of her somewhere, please wait a moment," Nodoka said before getting up. 'This can't be a coincidence.'

Nodoka quickly found a picture of her and Reiko, she saw the look of astonishment of Kasumi's face when the girl recognised the other woman.

"You knew my mother?"

"Knew her? I worked with her for several years. Have you ever heard of the 'Tales of Ribaldry' series?" Nodoka asked.

"Aren't they, ahem adult literature?" Kasumi inquired with a blush.

"They were romance stories with a lot of details when it came to the good parts," Nodoka replied with a smile. "And your mother wrote them with me."

"Mother was part of the Red Dragon team?" Kasumi was shocked that her memories of her mother were not reconciling with the knowledge that she was part of a highly successful writing team, let alone one that was infamous among her housewife friends.

"Yes, that's probably why you have two sisters, Kasumi," Nodoka added, not realising what she was doing.

"But Mother could never do something like that," Kasumi protested.

"Take this home and read it, Kasumi dear. It's the last manuscript we were working on before your mother died. I think she'd want you to have it," Nodoka explained as she handed a barely bound pile of papers to the stunned girl.

Kasumi recognised the handwritten notes on the paper. "This is Mother's writing."

"Talk to your father about Reiko, Kasumi-chan," Nodoka suggested with a knowing smile.

"I will, Mrs. Saotome." Kasumi bowed in thanks.

"Please, call me Auntie Nodoka."

* * *

At Furinkan High School, Ranma made his way back to his classroom by jumping up to the window and pulling himself in. 

"Ranma," the teacher addressed the new student. "Did you really dislocate your ankle a few days ago?"

"It was dislocated for me," Ranma replied as he sat down. "I was sparring with my dad on Saturday. Why?"

"Well if we ignore the fact that you did just jump out the window, you should be using a crutch. You don't want to do permanent damage to your fine body," Emi explained.

"It only hurts a little bit when I use my foot to knock bricks out the air," Ranma tried to reassure the class.

"Pardon?" Akane asked. "Why would you want to use kicks to deflect bricks?"

"It's all part of the Anything Goes training to build up leg speed and stamina. Just breaking bricks on the ground doesn't help you win fights against seasoned opponents, you know."

Akane's face darkened at what she took to be a casual reference to her loss at the hands of the arrogant boy. As soon as Doctor Tofu gave the all clear to start training again, she would train twice as hard to beat the big-headed Saotome.

Still, she wouldn't have liked to try jumping out of the window any time soon.

The teacher started to tell Ranma that he should take it easy but the door burst open, interrupting her train of thought.

"Is Ranma Saotome here?" a man in a conservative blue suit asked the class.

"I'm Ranma Saotome, what can I do you for?"

"I'm the Vice-Principal and I'd like to have a word with you," the man answered.

"About what?"

"I think you know, young man."

"Well, you're wrong. I don't recall doing anything wrong today," Ranma said, confused by the man's presence. "I was on time this morning and my registration papers are all in order, so what do you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, the nurse is concerned that you injured yourself with your little stunt just now, and she wants to examine you. We don't want you to ruin such a promising athletic career," the man finally explained. 'Not when there are interscholastic sports contests for us to win,' he added silently.

"Ok. I was kind of worried that you might kick up a stink about that moron outside," Ranma confessed as he got up.

"Kuno? The only reason he's not been expelled is his father is the principal," Miss Fujishima snorted in disgust.

"Yeah, but what can you do about it?" Ranma rhetorically asked with a shrug.

* * *

To be continued… 

This chapter was pre-read by Chi Vayne, Ghost in the Machine and a bloke called Happy Pig. Blame them for any mistakes you see.

Or of course, you could always move on with your lives.

I'm sorry you have to sign in to leave a review now, but I am feeling evil at the moment.

Email me if you don't have an account and want to contact me to leave your opinion. My address is:

lordraaATdigitalpimpDOTcoDOTuk.

Laterer.


	4. Fore!

Random Chance?

By Lord Raa

Chapter: Fore!

* * *

Disclaim-me-do: You know, an author with a modicum of humanity might feel responsible for unleashing the crap on the unsuspecting world.

* * *

Previously on Random Chance:

"Yeah, but what can you do about it?" Ranma rhetorically asked with a shrug.

* * *

Nodoka set down a tray of tea and snacks. "So then Kasumi, tell me about your sisters, it's been a while since I heard anything about them."

"My sisters go to Furinkan with Ranma," she said with a slight hint of envy.

"What are they like?" Nodoka asked, curious as to what kind of family Ranma might be marrying into.

"Nabiki is one of the brighter students in her class," Kasumi recalled.

"That's good to hear," Nodoka nodded. She'd been afraid that the Tendo daughters had inherited their father's intelligence rather than their mother's.

"I think that she uses the other students to get her spending money," Kasumi added.

Nodoka didn't say anything at that, though she personally thought that Nabiki's behaviour might be considered manipulative. "What about Akane?"

"She's a sweet girl, but she's had some bad experiences with boys lately. Because of that, she doesn't trust them."

This caught Nodoka's attention. "What kind of experiences?"

"According to Nabiki, one of the older students made a declaration that if any of the boys wanted to date Akane, they had to beat her in combat. And now she has a horde of boys attacking her every morning," Kasumi said with a frown.

"That's terrible," Nodoka decided. "What about the school principal?"

"Nabiki told me that the boy that made the challenge is the Furinkan Principal's son, so the faculty won't do anything about it out of fear for their jobs."

Nodoka didn't like the sound of that, but she couldn't blame the staff for not wanting to rock the boat. After refilling the teacups, she asked Kasumi, "And what about you? What do you do with your time?"

"I stay at home to look after the house and Father," Kasumi said sadly.

"Does Soun actually do anything to help?"

"He used to train Akane," Kasumi defended.

"And now?" Nodoka asked, her dislike of the man rising.

"He just really signs the forms," Kasumi replied in a shame filled voice.

'If he really cared about you, then he'd do something about Akane's problems at school,' Nodoka thought angrily. Sighing, Mrs. Saotome decided to change the subject.

"I know that my son has caught your eye, Kasumi," she said with a knowing smile, "But what are your intentions towards him?"

Kasumi blushed, unable to find her voice for a moment.

"I should warn you that if he's still unattached and you become pregnant with his child, I expect you to marry him."

Kasumi spat her tea across the table and spluttered. "W-what?"

"That's what happened with Genma," Nodoka said with a wistful look on her face. She snapped out of it when she heard Kasumi start to cough. "I take it you'd like me to tell you that story?"

Kasumi nodded.

"Ok, well I'll gloss over some of the more sordid details, but I met Ranma's father soon after he finished his training. We went out for a few dates, you should know about the effects of alcohol by now, and one thing lead to another.

"Before long, I was using him as a sex-toy on a regular basis, until I became pregnant with Ranma. That's when we married."

Kasumi paled at the mental image of Genma doing the nasty.

"He looked different then," Nodoka rolled her eyes. "I'll show you the wedding photos."

Nodoka rose to retrieve the Saotome family photo album. She flicked through the pages to find the appropriate shots on her way back to Kasumi.

"Here we are, this is what Genma looked like when he was younger," Nodoka said with happy smile.

Kasumi was surprised by the image of the man in front of her. The younger Genma had a full head of thick, lustrous black hair framing a serious looking face that had been through a number of training hardships. The man's body had the muscular bulk of a rugby player, yet Kasumi knew that there was a lightning quickness hidden behind it.

"As you can see, Ranma doesn't have his father's build," Nodoka said, trying to convince Kasumi to try for her son. "So it does mean that he won't be as bulky when he gets older."

* * *

At Furinkan High School, Ranma Saotome was sitting in the Nurse's Office being fussed over by the nurse. Kuno was being ignored, but that was becoming par for the course.

"I'm fine, really," Ranma insisted, slightly embarrassed by the situation.

"I'm not so sure that your ankle is fully healed, Ranma-kun," said the buxom, redheaded young woman. "Roll up your trouser leg so I can get a better look at your injury, Ranma."

Ranma sighed, but did as he was asked. He felt the nurse's gentle breath on his foot as she examined the appendage.

The nurse sighed when she realised that Ranma was healing at a phenomenal rate and wouldn't need to stay under her supervision.

"I told you that I'm fine, Kamiya-sensei," Ranma tried his hardest not to whine.

"Please, call me Shinobu, Ranma-kun," the nurse insisted.

"Shinobu-sensei, please, can I get back to class now?" Ranma didn't like the way the firm, yet gentle digits were creeping up his calf muscle.

Shinobu sighed, "Yes I suppose so. But you will let me know if you hurt yourself, won't you?"

"Of course, Shinobu-sensei," Ranma agreed with a smile that became wider when he heard the lunch bell ring. "Feeding time."

* * *

On his way back to retrieve his lunch, Ranma was confronted by Nabiki.

"Hello there, Ranma," she greeted with a smile.

Ranma looked on with a touch of suspicion, but returned the smile.

"Hello, err, Nabiki, is it?"

"Yes," Nabiki nodded, keeping the smile on her face.

"What can I do you for?" Ranma asked, wanting to get his lunch as soon as possible.

"A few of your fellow students have been asking about you," the normally cold Tendo started cryptically.

"And?" Ranma asked, trying not to sound tired by the interrogation.

Nabiki's smile slipped for a moment, causing Ranma to grin.

"I saw that smirk, Saotome."

"Good. It means that your eyes are working fine," Ranma smugly answered. "If you want, we can talk over dinner."

"That's a good idea, Ranma," Nabiki decided, her voice becoming more pleasant.

As the two teenagers sat under a tree, Nabiki began to ask about Ranma's training. Where he'd been training and what styles he knew. Ranma answered these without giving it too much thought.

Then Nabiki asked him what his plans for the immediate future were.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say that you're trying to get answers for these other students," Ranma replied with a slight grin on his face. "Now why would you want to know all about me?"

Nabiki looked at Ranma with her best poker face and said, "You tell me."

Ranma finished his lunch, which was rather tasty, and gave his companion a cursory examination. "You're making money off the information, aren't you?"

Nabiki as she kept her face neutral as she finished her lunch, using the food as an excuse not to answer him.

"Read like a book," Ranma smirked insufferably. "Not that I can blame the lovely ladies for wanting to know about the handsome martial artist that turned up and beat down one of the best fighters in the school in a matter of seconds."

"I see you suffer from self-esteem problems," Nabiki sarcastically countered.

"I think that you'll find that my excessive humility is my biggest flaw," Ranma said straight face.

Nabiki was torn between laughing at Ranma's playful nature and giving him a frosty glare for his Kuno-esque behaviour.

"Calm down, dear," Ranma waved his hands in a placating fashion, "I'm not worth an ulcer."

"I'll say," a voice from behind them spoke in a quiet voice.

"I really don't like being spied upon," Ranma said with a touch of venom in his voice. "You're pretty stealthy, considering you're still injured."

"Who is it?" Nabiki asked, concerned that she hadn't noticed the presence of another person.

"It's your sister," Ranma said as he grabbed the youngest Tendo girl from behind the tree.

"Care to explain what're doing here, dear sister?" Nabiki asked with a growl.

"I'm watching out for you!" Akane insisted. "Who knows what he wants to do to you!"

"I wanted to talk to Ranma, Akane," Nabiki sighed. "He wasn't going to do anything to me."

"Believe it or not, Miss Tendo," Ranma said in a serious and formal voice, "but not every teenaged male is trying to get into a girl's bed."

Akane snorted. "Prove it."

"I'd too like to see this fabled morally upstanding boy," Nabiki added. "I'll bet he doesn't exist."

Ranma rolled his eyes. "We're not all perverts, you know."

"But still, I bet you can't find someone who can keep his hands to himself while he trains with Akane," said Nabiki.

"Nabiki!" Akane protested

"Like it or not Akane, you need more practice," Nabiki pointed to her sister's leg.

"Sorry, but she's right, you need a lot more training if you hope to get to my level," Ranma spoke with the utmost sincerity for the first time during the lunch break.

"Oh, and I suppose you're just the right person to do it?" Akane shot back angrily.

"Nope," Ranma shook his head. "I'm not suited to being a sensei, let alone yours."

Nabiki was half expecting Ranma to say something about how he could teach anyone martial arts. Akane calmed down and gestured for Ranma to explain.

"Yeah, I'm good enough to teach you. I can point out where you're going wrong, how to improve your stamina and the rest of it," Ranma sighed.

"So what's the problem?" Akane asked, puzzled why Ranma wouldn't want to teach anyone.

"The problem is that I've spent the last ten years focused on martial arts," Ranma said in a far off voice, "Ten years of having to leave all my friends behind, never knowing if I'll see them again. I'm told that there's more to life than martial arts, and I'd like to see what else there is to it before I take over the family school."

"Wow, I thought that you were just an arrogant bastard," Akane said quietly.

"Oh, I assure you that I am," Ranma said with a chuckle.

Both Akane and Nabiki smiled at Ranma's admission as the bell signifying the end of the break rang.

* * *

When Ranma and Akane returned to their classroom, they were surprised by the sudden change in their lesson plan.

Their teacher, Miss Fujishima, had decided that since it was "such a nice day", they were going to have an extra PE lesson.

"But sensei," Ranma protested, "I don't have my PE kit with me."

"That's ok, Ranma-kun, I'm sure that it'll be all right if you go shirtless for one lesson," the teacher said with a reassuring, yet almost hungry smile.

"If you're sure that it'll be ok," Ranma replied hesitantly. "What are we doing today?"

"Softball," Miss Fujishima replied. "Boys versus girls."

Yuka protested at this. "But without Akane, what chance have we got at beating the boys?"

"It's not whether you win or lose, but it's how you play the game," the teacher said with a grin. "The teams stand as they are, unless you can sort out two teams by the time we get down to the changing rooms."

The class grumbled, but filed out to the changing area.

Emi Fujishima turned to Ranma and Akane. "Now I want you to take care, Ranma. I know that the nurse gave you the ok, but I don't want to have to fill out the paperwork involved with a student injuring themselves. Akane, I want you to keep score."

Akane nodded.

* * *

Outside, on the baseball diamond, Ranma was stretching his muscles with a low level kata. He was enjoying the sun on his naked torso, as were certain members of his class.

Turning to where the ladies in his class were standing, he noticed their red faces.

"Is everyone ok?" Ranma asked. He'd paused in mid kata, holding the pose while he waited for an answer or someone to faint.

Emi Fujishima snapped out of her trance quickest and answered for her class. "We're fine, Ranma-kun. You say you've been training for ten years?"

"To the neglect of pretty much everything else," Ranma responded.

'That could work in my favour,' the teacher thought deviously, 'especially if he needs extra tuition to pass his classes.'

Akane coughed, not happy about the way everybody was looking at Ranma. "Shall we start the game?"

"Yes, of course," the teacher said with a sweatdrop.

As the selected captain, Ranma stood opposite a blushing Yuka.

"Ok Ranma-kun, heads or tails?" Miss Fujishima asked as she held up a 500 yen coin.

"Tails," Ranma replied.

"Tails it is, fielding or batting?"

"Fielding," Ranma decided after looking at the diamond.

The girls' first innings were quickly over with a Ranma showing off his athletic ability by catching fly balls.

When it came to the boy's team first batting inning, Ranma managed to hit a homerun. The ball struck the side of the school building, alerting a number of students to the presence of an unscheduled softball game.

Ranma smiled at the girls as he slowly jogged around the bases, allowing the other batter to run in ahead of him.

And so, the boys maintained their lead for a few more innings with no interruptions up until the point Ranma managed to plant a ball into Kuno's classroom.

Ranma apologised to his teacher, who smiled prettily at him. Before he could complete his run around the bases, Kuno came charging out with his bokken at the ready.

"Halt, foul disruptor of academic studies!" the principal's son raged. "I will put an end to your troublesome activities!"

Ranma dodged away from Kuno's slashes. "I thought we'd settled this earlier."

"This matter will only be settled when you are gone, wretched defiler of the sacred halls of Furinkan!" Kuno continued his slashes.

Ranma, wanting a challenge from the blowhard, picked up a wooden bat and began to wield it in one hand, like a sword. "Come on then, I'll take you on at your own game, Disco."

"Foolish cretin, you should know that to challenge the Blue Thunder with a sword is to invite your own downfall!"

Ranma gave Kuno the "red eye" and stuck his tongue out.

Unsurprisingly, Kuno took the bait and charged Ranma with his rapid thrust technique.

Ranma either dodged the strikes or nudged them away with the bat. Despite the uneven distribution of weight, the way the bat was being moved made it look like it was an extension of Ranma's arm.

"Stop boring me with your pathetic attacks, Ouzo," Ranma yawned.

"MY. NAME. IS. KUNO!" Tatewaki screamed as he started swinging his wooden sword wildly.

Ranma knocked the bokken out from Kuno's hand and swept the kendoist's legs from under him. "If you haven't got anything else, then sit down and shut up."

"Mr. Kuno, I've had enough of your behaviour. If you don't return to your class immediately, I'll have you suspended!" Emi Fujishima scolded the older boy.

This was an unexpected response from a member of the teaching staff, many of whom would allow Kuno free reign of the school because of his father. Not that the principal had been seen for a while.

"Surely you jest!" Kuno started to bluster. "If I am not here to protect you from this unsavoury influence, then who will?"

"I can assure you that I'm quite savoury," Ranma smirked at the boy on the floor. "And don't call me Shirley."

"While there is little doubt that Ranma-kun is very tasty, you must understand that YOU are the disruptive influence here at Furinkan," the teacher continued to tell Kuno off. "With your 'Beat Akane to date her' proclamation, you have caused untold pain and suffering on the student body."

"I have not!"

"You have, Gonzo," Ranma agreed with the teacher. Ranma saw the throbbing vein and twitching eyebrow. "Yeah, you keep those vengeful thoughts coming. You know just how much they helped you in our three fights today."

"I was not defeated!" Kuno insisted. "I was merely delayed on my path to victory!"

"Man, if those moves are all you've got, then your path to victory is journey that's made one step at a time – backwards," Ranma laughed.

"Those moves have brought me countless successes in kendo," Kuno insisted.

"And look where they got you in the real world – your ass handed to you three times in what, five, six hours?" Ranma countered.

"Only because you must have cheated," Kuno grumbled.

Ranma froze. "Pardon, did you just accuse me of cheating?"

"It is the only logical reason for my delays to final victory."

Ranma tossed the bat aside and lifted Kuno up to stare him in the eyes. "You are the biggest idiot I've ever met. If you keep spreading your lies, I will hurt you. None of this waking up in an hour or two in the nurse's office, but you in a wheelchair spending the rest of your days drinking your meals. Choose your next words very carefully."

"I will see you expelled, Saotome," Kuno growled.

"Not the best choice, but certainly not the worst," Ranma decided before throwing Kuno to the floor. "Since Juno here has the backing of the PTA, I get the feeling that I'll be the one forced to leave Furinkan. I guess that I'll see some of you in another life. It's been emotional."

Ranma saluted the class before collecting his shirt and leaving Furinkan for good.

The females in the class, minus Akane, turned to the principal's son as he stood up.

"Class," Emi Fujishima started, "There's been a change of plan. Our next lesson is on social studies. In particular, mobs and riots. Mr. Kuno here has graciously volunteered to assist us."

The teacher lifting up a nearby bat was enough of a hint to her students about what was going to happen next.

Akane winced at the violence that was displayed before her.

* * *

After the class had worked out their frustration on Kuno, Nabiki Tendo noticed that the school blowhard was laying there out in the afternoon sun.

"Excuse me, sir," the middle Tendo addressed the teacher.

"Yes, Miss Tendo?"

"I believe that Kuno is still outside."

The teacher moved to the window. "So he is."

"We can't have bodies strewn out on the field, now can we, sir?"

"I guess not. Are you volunteering to drag him back in, Miss Tendo?"

"Yes, sensei," Nabiki answered.

The teacher knew what Nabiki was up to. "Just don't empty his wallet too much."

"Hai, sensei." Nabiki rose from her desk and made her way out to the playing field.

* * *

Nabiki managed to drag the collection of bruises that was Tatewaki Kuno to the school infirmary without too much trouble. Not that she was able to keep the boy from picking up more injuries when she dragged him up the stairs.

Arriving at the Nurse's Office, Nabiki dumped Kuno on the floor and took a breather.

"What happened to him?" Shinobu Kamiya asked Nabiki.

"He upset a half of Ranma's class," Nabiki replied after spotting an empty seat.

"And just how did the 'Blue Thunder' manage that?" the nurse asked, moving Kuno onto a bed.

"I'm not sure. How did you manage that, Kuno-chan?" Nabiki asked the newly awakened boy.

"Do what?"

"Upset Ranma's class."

"I did nothing of the sort!" Kuno protested. "I merely saved them from the insidious influence of that wicked Saotome."

"And how did you do that?" Shinobu asked, not liking the sound of this.

"Saotome is no longer a student here. He left on his own accord, saying that he will never return," Kuno explained. "Why can I not move from the waist down?"

Shinobu Kamiya was now very upset. She was a young woman with needs. Needs that could only be fulfilled by a manly individual, the sort of hero one would find in a Red Dragon novel. The sort of person that Ranma seemed to be.

Kuno was about to find out why you shouldn't upset medical staff when you need them to look after you.

"The reason, Kuno-kun, that you cannot move properly is because there is a baseball bat protruding from you rectal cavity."

Shinobu poked the bat, causing Kuno to scream in agony. "I'm afraid that I have bad news for you, Kuno-kun."

"And what is that, Kamiya-sensei?" Nabiki asked, hiding her smile at Kuno's misfortune.

"I'm not qualified to remove foreign objects from body cavities. And even I was, we don't have the necessary equipment here. Kuno-kun has to go to Nerima General Hospital."

* * *

Kasumi sat on her bed, flicking through the manuscript that she'd been given by Nodoka with interest.

"Oh my," she commented on what she considered to be a spicy paragraph. Reading further on, she found a particularly interesting bit in the rough draft, causing her to develop a major blush.

"My goodness, how do they come up with these ideas?" she asked the empty room. She decided that the last part needed to be re-read, and so highlighted it in green.

The eldest Tendo daughter was torn between finding out the truth about her mother from her father and reading further on. She looked at her alarm clock and noticed that it was time to start preparing the evening meal.

"Oh dear," she said getting up from her bed. She hid the papers under her pillow; it was unusual for any of her family to enter her room, but didn't want to take any chances.

Descending from the stairs, Kasumi was met by her father.

"Kasumi, are you all right?" he asked. If Kasumi wasn't up to making dinner, then they'd have to order take-out.

"I'm fine, Father, I just needed to take a nap," Kasumi answered with a smile.

Soun breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad that you're all right, Kasumi."

Kasumi started to make her way to the kitchen, but turned around when she realised that this was as good a chance as any to ask about her mother.

"Father, did mother ever have a job?"

This seemingly simple question was more than a bit awkward for Soun. On the one hand, he didn't want to lie to his daughter, but on the other, he didn't want such a sweet and innocent girl to know about the type of work her mother did.

"Why?" he asked, stalling for time.

"Well, I went to see Ranma's mother earlier today," Kasumi admitted.

Soun was pleasantly surprised by this, and so now paid his first born child more attention than he had done for a while.

"She said that she knew mother."

"Oh yes, your mother and I both knew Nodoka," Soun recalled with pleasant smile. "Unfortunately I haven't seen Nodoka for a while now. How is she doing?"

"She's well, but she said something that didn't make sense."

"Oh what's that?"

"She said that she wrote books with Mother," Kasumi said slightly confused. "Mother never said anything about writing."

"Well, I'm sure that your mother never brought it up because she didn't think that her work was very good," Soun ventured, hoping that his daughter would drop the subject.

"Perhaps," Kasumi said, getting that hint. "What would you like for dinner?"

"I've not got a preference today, Kasumi," Soun non-answered.

Akane and Nabiki returned home from school, talking about the latest Ranma related development.

"I don't see how he can just decide to not go," Akane said to Nabiki.

"Why are you so bothered about Ranma?" Nabiki asked pointedly. "I thought that you didn't like him."

"I never said that!" Akane insisted.

"Yes you did, Akane," Kasumi reminded her sisters. "It was after he beat you in that challenge."

Akane froze. "I did, didn't I?"

"Yes," her sisters chorused.

"Oh, well maybe I just liked the way he stood up to Kuno. You ever think about that?" Akane countered, hoping that her sisters would drop the topic.

"Yes, I can see why you'd appreciate that, Akane-chan," Kasumi agreed. "I was about to start preparing dinner, was there anything you wanted in particular?"

"Udon sounds good, don't you think, Nabiki?" Akane suggested.

Nabiki agreed before leaving for her room.

* * *

To be continued…

The chapter was pre-read by Chi Vayne, someone who has suffered greatly so that I might look slightly less foolish in the eyes of you nice people on the interweb.

Are there any questions? Comments, perhaps? Or maybe even a request for me to write more of a different story?

If so, then you know how to let me know.

Until laterer comes.


	5. Chapter 5

Random Chance?

By Lord Raa

Chapter… what are we on now? FIVE? Oh dear?

* * *

Disclaim-me-do: Ambassador, with these Ferrero Rocher, you are spoiling us.

* * *

Previously on "Random Chance?": "The reason, Kuno-kun, that you cannot move properly is because there is a baseball bat protruding from you rectal cavity."

* * *

Before I forget, there are some scenes here that run concurrently/overlap with scenes from the last chapter.

"Why?" you ask.

Well, it amuses me.

That and I can't be bothered to rewrite the last chapter.

* * *

Ranma had nearly arrived at his front gate to give his parents the bad news. "I hope Mom understands about what happened at school." 

"Understands about what happening school?" a female voice asked him.

Ranma looked up and saw that his mother was tending to the rose bush that stood in their small, but well manicured front garden.

"You're back a bit early, aren't you, Ranma?"

"Yeah, about that. Something happened today at school," Ranma admitted.

"What? Are you in trouble with the school?" Nodoka asked, hoping that her son wasn't a juvenile delinquent.

"No. In fact, I left school to prevent trouble. I'll explain inside."

* * *

Inside, Ranma and Nodoka were sitting at the table, sipping their tea. 

"Well then son, seeing as your whistle has now been wetted, would you care to explain why you're here at home when you should be in class?"

"Well you know that I beat Akane Tendo in a duel before Pops and I came back here?" Ranma asked. Seeing Nodoka nod, he continued. "Well, there's this idiot at school who thinks he's some kind of invincible samurai that's been sent from the heavens. He's taken it upon himself to 'protect' Akane Tendo."

"Ah, I see. So why doesn't he like you?"

"He made some bullshit declaration that if you wanted to date Akane, you had to beat her in combat. He took our match to mean that I was going to do all sorts of perverted things to her. I'm not like that."

Nodoka "hmmed" as she sipped at her drink. "And then what?"

"Well, I beat this idiot in two moves, went to class. Beat him up again when he burst into my lesson. After lunch, we had a PE lesson, which he interrupted. I found out that he's the principal's son, so he'd probably abuse his position to get me kicked out. So in order to save face, I left."

"Oh," Nodoka nodded, understanding her son's logic. 'It's a shame he didn't get a girlfriend when he was there.'

"Besides, the teacher made me play softball without a shirt on," Ranma confessed. "I can't keep doing PE without my clothes on, the girls kept running into each other."

"I see," Nodoka smiled, which had the effect of unnerving her son. "Well, I still think that you should still go to school."

"I agree, but I'm not going to Furinkan."

"Well, in that case I need to look at some of the other local schools. How far are you willing to travel?" Nodoka asked as she pulled out a pen and notepad.

"I don't know, five or six kilometres. Eight at the very most," Ranma answered after mulling it over. "Any more than that and I'll be too tired to pay attention at school."

Nodoka nodded. "I'll ask some of my friends, they should have a better idea about which of the local schools is best option for you."

* * *

After the evening meal at the Tendo house, Kasumi knocked on Nabiki's door. 

"Enter."

"Nabiki-chan, I want to ask you a question," Kasumi started with a blush.

"Sit down, and I'll see what I can see," Nabiki smiled.

"Well, have you heard of a writing team called 'Red Dragon'?" Kasumi asked, but couldn't face her sister. "Apparently they're quite famous in certain circles."

Nabiki was shocked, but managed to keep her face neutral. "I have nee-chan. Why?"

"I heard a story earlier today," Kasumi relayed the details of her visit to Nodoka's house.

"I don't believe you, Kasumi."

"I have proof!" Kasumi insisted. "Follow me."

Nabiki rose from her chair and walked to Kasumi's neat and tidy room. She was surprised to see her sister lock the door.

"Kasumi?"

"Look at this," Kasumi showed the manuscript to her younger sister.

Nabiki flicked through the first chapter. "This is Mother's handwriting."

"I know," Kasumi sighed. "Do you think that it's true?"

"What? That our mother wrote dirty stories with Ranma's mom? It would explain why Dad never needed to get a job after she died," Nabiki reasoned. 'Some of the passages have been highlighted recently.'

"So what do we do now?" Kasumi asked.

"I don't know, Nee-chan. I can get you some of their other work," Nabiki offered.

"Could you?" Kasumi's enthusiasm was starting to freak Nabiki out.

"Yeah, I'll get you something tomorrow."

* * *

In her room, Nabiki was pondering the recent change in Kasumi's behaviour. Ever since Ranma turned up, the oldest Tendo daughter had started to act in a more normal manner. Instead of just ignoring male/female relationships beyond that of family, she now seemed interested in starting families. 

It was quite unnerving for the Ice Queen of Furinkan to have someone she considered pure and innocent to request some reading material from a writing team that was famous for their erotic stories.

Not to mention the fact that she dropped the bombshell that her mother was part of that writing team

"What next? Ranma's parents insisting that we have a formal meeting to arrange us courting Ranma?" Nabiki asked the walls.

* * *

Elsewhere in Tokyo, Nodoka Saotome looked up as a thought hit her like a bolt of lightning. 

"I've just had a fantastic idea."

* * *

Nabiki, sitting on her bed, shivered violently. 

"I've got a bad feeling about the near future."

* * *

At the Kuno mansion, Tatewaki was returning home in a wheelchair. The captain of Furinkan's Kendo Team was sitting on an ice pack, a fact which his sister quickly picked up on. 

"What happened to you, dear brother? Did you have another run in with that lowly Tendo woman?"

"No, oh Twisted Sister, I found myself on the receiving end of a violent mob," Tatewaki said, trying to sound like he was the wronged party in the fracas.

Kodachi said nothing and returned to her book.

"What are you reading, dear sister?" Tatewaki asked after being ignored for a few minutes.

"I was reading a romance novel," Kodachi answered, putting the now finished book down on the coffee table. "It's very good, though a little vulgar in sections."

"A novella by Red Dragon," the male Kuno read from the front cover.

Tatewaki moved in closer and picked up the book, flicking through the pages. "I see what you mean. What is the appeal of such a bawdy piece of literature?"

"If you have to ask, then you're not ready to know, Onii-sama. Now go away before you drip more water on the tatami."

When Tatewaki failed to move after becoming engrossed in the book, Kodachi sighed. "Fine, then I shall be the one to move."

Kodachi left the drooling fool in his place and walked to her room.

* * *

On the way to her room, Kodachi noticed the unopened mail on the table in the hallway. Out of a sense of idle curiosity, she flicked through the pile of letters and saw one from Happy Pig Publishing, a company name the Kodachi thought was a little below that of her family's status. Despite it being addressed to her late mother, she opened it. 

'Dear Masako-san

I am happy to tell you that I will be able to visit you on Tuesday the 15th of June.

Unfortunately, it will have to be a flying visit, as I am expected to fly out to America for a meeting with licensees about edits and localisations. It seems that some manga publishers there are taking it upon themselves to alter certain things. But enough bad news, I hope that you will be able to meet with me.

Regards,

Kazuki Fujita.'

Kodachi was reminded of the first time she encountered that company name, just a scant few days earlier.

* * *

Flashback time… 

Kodachi walked to her room, bored with tending to her garden when she noticed the door to the study was open. 'It seems that Sasuke was careless when he was cleaning. I will punish him later,' the Kuno daughter mused.

The raven haired gymnast stepped towards the room to close the door when she noticed a newly placed letter on the desk. While it was common to put the incoming mail addressed to her father in the room, this envelope seemed out of place.

Sighing that she would have to lower herself to the role of secretary, she entered the study to reposition the letter.

Kodachi's eyes glanced at the name on the envelope – Masako Kuno.

"Mother…" Kodachi whispered breathlessly.

Mrs. Masako Kuno had been dead for a number of years, her unfortunate absence contributing to her son's delusions of grandeur and her daughter's obsession with horticulture and gymnastics, so it was richly bizarre to see the post mark dated two days ago.

Kodachi opened the envelope, not understanding whose records could be so out of date, that they were almost to the point of hurtful mocking.

'Dear Masako-san,

Apologies for the delay in responding to your correspondence, but I have been out of the country for a number of years.

I do hope that your writing team have been working hard; I've seen the sales figures and reviews for the Red Dragon stories that have been published so far.

I plan to visit you in the coming weeks, though I cannot be sure of the exact date at this time. But please rest assured that I shall make an appointment to see my favourite Happy Pig Publishing employee.

I do hope that your family are all healthy and that your job as editor hasn't taken too large of a toll on your family life.

Kindest regards,

Kazuki Fujita'

"Mother... worked with this "Red Dragon" team?" Kodachi asked the empty study. "Sasuke has been with the family for a long time, perhaps he can tell me about them."

* * *

Back to the present day… 

After the Saotomes ate their evening meal, Ranma asked what his mother did while he was training.

"I was part of a successful writing team," Nodoka smiled. "With Mrs. Tendo, no less."

"Mrs. Tendo, as in Tendo Dojo?" Ranma asked, thinking it a coincidence that two families with the same name would know his parents.

"Yes, in fact their eldest daughter, Kasumi was here earlier. I think she's quite smitten with you, son," Nodoka hinted. "Small world, isn't it?"

"Yes," Ranma commented dryly. "I didn't get the chance to properly talk with Kasumi the other day, what's she like?"

"She's a nice person, son. She's quite beautiful, if a little conservative with her choice of clothing, but I think that's because Soun was always a little overprotective about the women in his life," Nodoka explained.

"Why do I get the feeling that someone's plotting something?" Ranma asked his mother, his head cocked to the side.

"I just want you to be happy, Ranma. Is that a crime?" Nodoka asked, preparing a fake tear or two. "I got so lonely while you and your father were gone."

"I'm sorry, Mom," Ranma apologised with a hug. "It's just that Pops had planned my life for me, but I'd like to see what the world has to offer, make my own mistakes as I walk down life's path. Do you know what I mean?"

"I do, Ranma. But would you consider meeting Kasumi? Formally, I mean."

"I don't see why not," Ranma flashed Nodoka a winning smile.

"Thank you, Ranma. I'll speak with her tomorrow."

* * *

The rest of the evening was fairly quiet for the Saotome family. Once Ranma had beaten some of the hypocrisy out of the part time panda and Nodoka mentioned that Ranma would be meeting with Kasumi soon enough, that is. 

Ranma spent another night on his bed. He decided that the feel of a nice mattress was something that he could get used to.

He didn't consider that his mattress was an old one that, if Nodoka had her way, would be far too small.

It was lucky for him that his mind never seemed to dwell on such matters; otherwise he'd not have slept so well.

* * *

The next morning, Kasumi was not expecting the phone to ring while she washed the breakfast dishes. 

"Hello, Tendo residence, how may I help you?"

"¬Kasumi, it's me, Nodoka Saotome.¬"

"Oh, hello, Auntie Nodoka," Kasumi smiled. "How can I help you?"

"¬I was wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner this evening.¬"

"Will Ranma be there?" Kasumi asked, hope audible in her voice.

"¬Yes, in fact, he'd like to get to know you better, Kasumi-chan.¬"

Kasumi positively beamed happiness rays. "What time would you like me to come over, Auntie Nodoka?"

"¬Seven thirty would be absolutely perfect.¬"

"I'll be there," Kasumi declared.

"¬That's good. I'll see you then, have a nice day, Kasumi-chan¬"

"You too, Auntie Nodoka."

When she hung the phone up, she skipped back to the kitchen to finish her chores.

* * *

Ranma trained in the garden with his father. The two Saotomes were practicing the one of the more advanced techniques of their family style – the Umi-sen-ken. 

Genma had been convinced to teach the move to Ranma on the condition that his son took the meeting with Kasumi seriously.

"Pay attention, Ranma, I will only show you this once," the balding man informed his son.

"Gotcha," the younger martial artist nodded, though he kept eye contact with his instructor.

"First, use your chi to get a quick feel for your surroundings. You need to know what you're trying to blend in with."

"Ok," Ranma nodded. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Opening them again he was ready for the next stage.

"Focus your chi so you become one with your surroundings. Like so," Genma said as he faded from view.

Ranma did as his father instructed and soon, he too, seemed to melt from existence.

"Now, remember to keep focussed on your surroundings," the older Saotome said as he returned back into view. "I'm going to attack you by throwing these stones where I think you are. Ok?"

The pigtailed youth nodded, though his gesture wasn't observable by anyone.

Genma reached for a handful of gravel and scanned the well landscaped garden for his currently hidden son.

"Oof!" Ranma said as several stones hit him in the stomach and chest. When he fell into view, he asked his father how he'd spotted him.

"Simple – you're trying too hard," Genma answered. "Someone well trained in chi and ki techniques would be able to detect you by the big hole in the environment that you created. The trick is to be able treat it like it's second nature to you, like walking or breathing."

"I see," the blue-eye male nodded. "I'll need more practice."

* * *

At the Kuno mansion, Sasuke answered the front door. 

"May I help you, sir?"

"Yes, I'm Kazuki Fujita, I'm here to meet with Mrs. Masako Kuno, is she in?" the man in a well-tailored business suit asked with a polite bow.

"I'm afraid not, though her daughter, would like to speak with you," the manservant replied apologetically. "Please come in. Mistress Kodachi wants to meet with you in her mother's study."

"Thank you," Fujita smiled as he shed his shoes.

"Take a seat," Sasuke said as he led the guest into the Kuno matriarch's private office.

Moments later, Kodachi appeared at the doorway, dressed in a white blouse with a long black skirt and black sweater. "Hello, I'm Kodachi Kuno, Masako's daughter."

Kazuki blinked. "Yes, terribly sorry, I had no idea you were so grown up. The last time I saw you, you were a toddler."

The Kuno daughter bowed politely before taking her seat behind the desk. "What was it that you wanted to talk with my mother about?"

"It was about her work," the man replied. "If you don't mind my asking, where is your mother?"

"You weren't told?" Kodachi asked with a frown. "She passed away several years ago. It was shortly after Reiko Tendo died."

"Reiko's dead too?" Kazuki was aghast. He stood up and bowed deeply at the waist. "I'm so terribly sorry, Miss Kuno. I've been out of the country for the last 11 years, and I've only just started to catch up on my correspondence. Please forgive me for my ignorance to your situation. Had I known, I would have attended the funeral."

"That's ok," Kodachi said in a reassuring manner. "I wanted to know more about what my mother did. What can you tell me about her work?"

The suited man blushed as he thought about the best way to tell his host that her mother worked as an editor for a publisher of erotic literature. "She worked in the publishing business."

"I see, and what of her dealings with the writing team known as 'Red Dragon'?" asked the raven haired girl. "I've read one of their works, and while I found it to be a little vulgar in places, I thought it was reasonably well written."

Fujita gulped. "I apologise if I cause you any more offence or distress, Miss Kuno, but your mother worked with Reiko Tendo and Nodoka Saotome as part of the Red Dragon writing team. She was proof-reader, editor and a general sounding board for ideas."

Kodachi nodded. "So my mother helped write explicit romance literature? How many books did she work on?"

"I can't give you an exact figure, for obvious reasons, but it was over a dozen before I was assigned to the American branch."

"I see. Perhaps Nodoka Saotome would be willing to meet with us," Kodachi mused. "I'd like to know more about what Mother was like."

"I'll see what I can do," Kazuki promised. "I'll make a call now."

* * *

Back at the Saotome homestead, Nodoka was serving up lunch for her family. 

"So then, what did you teach Ranma today?" the copper-haired woman asked as she handed out the bowls of rice to the men in her life.

"I taught him one of my own special techniques. He's almost mastered it," Genma said with more than a hint of pride. "I did train him to be the best."

"Actually, you always said 'second place is a fancy name for loser'," Ranma smirked as he took a bite of rice.

"Well, it's true," the portly man insisted. "Besides, you won't be complaining when you start winning tournaments and the fight groupies start beating a path to your door."

"Yes!" Nodoka smiled. "Fight groupies fawning over my manly son! Each of them offering their nubile bodies for you to slake your primal lusts!"

The youngest Saotome blinked. "Oh-kay."

Nodoka coughed politely. "Sorry, it's been a while."

Genma just shrugged when Ranma looked questioningly at him.

"Yes, well Kasumi will be here tonight at 7.30," the copper haired woman swiftly changed the subject.

"Kasumi's the oldest one, isn't she?" the bespectacled martial artist asked. "She's a beautiful young woman, son. You'd make a good couple."

"Yes," Nodoka agreed. She stood up to answer the phone that had just started to ring. "Saotome residence, how may I help you?"

"¬Sorry to bother you, but this is Kazuki Fujita from Happy Pig Publishing, may I please speak to Nodoka Saotome?¬"

"This is Nodoka. Kazuki-san, Is that you? It's been a while since we last talked. How're things at the publishers?" Nodoka smiled.

"¬They're doing quite well. Can you believe that I only just heard today about the deaths of Reiko and Masako?¬"

"Where have you been for the last TEN years?" the copper haired Saotome demanded.

"¬I've been in America, handling licensed properties. If I'd known, I would have gotten on the first flight back to Japan.¬"

"Yes, well, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

"¬Masako's daughter, Kodachi, would like to meet with you. Are you free this evening?¬"

"I'm sorry," Nodoka sighed, "but we've got plans this evening. Tomorrow would be perfect though. How is Kodachi-chan? Is she as pretty as Masako?"

"¬She's every bit as pretty, Nodoka-san. Why, are you looking to set up your son, Ranma? Did Genma make a man among men out of him?¬"

"He seems manly enough, and well, Reiko's oldest, Kasumi is interested in him."

"¬I've missed so much,¬" Kazuki sighed down the phone. "¬We must have a proper reunion, Nodoka-san. Would you object to me sitting in with you tomorrow?¬"

"Not at all, Kazuki-san. In fact, I'll get show you the last manuscript Reiko and I were working on."

"¬That would be absolutely fabulous, Nodoka-san. I'll call you later to arrange a time, ok?¬"

"Yes, I'll be expecting your call," Nodoka smiled before hanging up. She returned to the table and explained what was planned for the following day.

* * *

At the Kuno mansion, Kazuki Fujita turned to face his host, Kodachi. 

"I've got some good news, Nodoka Saotome is willing to meet with us tomorrow to talk about your mother's working relationship. And I hear that she's got a manly son that practices martial arts."

"Really," the raven haired girl drawled. "What's his name?"

"Ranma Saotome."

"Saotome, eh? I thought I heard my brother mention that name yesterday…"

* * *

To be continued…. 

Yes, it's been a while.

And it could be a while before I write the next chapter.

You'll get over it – I have.

This was pre-read by Chi Vayne and…. Now for some omake, from an idea he suggested…

* * *

"I taught him one of my own special techniques. He's almost mastered it," Genma said with more than a hint of pride. "I did train him to be the best." 

"Actually, you always said 'second place is a fancy name for loser'," Ranma smirked as he took a bite of rice.

"Well, it's true," the portly man insisted. "Besides, you won't be complaining when you start winning tournaments and the fight groupies start beating a path to your door."

"Yes!" Nodoka smiled. "Fight groupies fawning over my manly son! Each of them offering their nubile bodies for you to slake your primal lusts!"

She turned to face her husband. "Primal lusts, yess."

Ranma looked suitably disturbed when he saw a trail of drool escape from his mother's mouth. "Are you ok, Mom?"

"No, it's been TEN years since I had sex and I need some action. Genma – you're coming with me. It's time to turn Ranma from an only child into an older brother!"

The kimono clad woman displayed a previously hidden strength as she hoisted the heavy set man into a fireman's carry and rushed up the stairs. "Ranma, you may have to train by yourself this afternoon, I've got plans!"

* * *

Until laterer comes. 


End file.
